Support Manager

Tell us a little about your background?

I started off doing nursing training in Glasgow, I found the course wasn’t really for me and was keen to transfer into psychiatric nursing because that area really interested me. This wasn’t possible at the time, so I ended up going to college to study a HNC in social care. My first placement whilst at college was with Penumbra, I have been with the organisation ever since, and that was 12 years ago.

What made you want to work for a Mental Health Charity?

I was keen to work in the voluntary sector, because in my eyes it is more flexible and person centred, with a focus on community, as opposed to being clinical and institutionalised outside of the third sector. I have always had a keen interest in Mental Health.

Tell us about the Project you work on?

I am a manager for a Supported Accommodation project. In this project we support four people in a shared house and five people in their own flats next door. I manage ten Recovery Workers and one Peer Worker.

What does a typical day at work for you involve?

There isn’t really a typical day on this project; day to day work fluctuates greatly. We always adapt to the needs of the people we support as our main priority. Usually though, we start the day with a handover, so that everyone is up to date on what has been happening, we then agree the plan for the day. My office is part of the accommodation so I am always there for meetings, reviews supporting the staff, and still carrying out some hands on support if needed.

What do you enjoy about working on this project?

Because my office is at the project, I feel close to the staff and people we support. Everything on this project is organised and pre-arranged so I am always aware of what is going on and able to be on hand for staff. It is also great to see people we support progress through the project to move on and live independently.

What makes Penumbra a great place to work?

I enjoy working at Penumbra because the organisation is innovative and forward thinking. Our outcome tools are brilliant and we are ahead of the game compared to industry standards. Also the opportunities for professional development here are brilliant